All-American Muslim TV Still - P 2011
TLCNEW YORK – Just like home improvement retailer Lowe’s, travel Web site Kayak has also withdrawn commercials from TLC’s All-American Muslim, the New York Times reported.
The paper said that at least these two advertisers have dropped ads on the reality TV show on the Discovery Communications network since activist group Florida Family Association condemned the series.
However, the Times highlighted that others cited by the association as having pulled ads are disputing such claims, including Bank of America, Sears and Campbell Soup. Overall, the organization has said that 65 companies have stopped advertising on the show.
Bank of America was only scheduled to run an ad spot in one episode of All-American Muslim, a spokesman told the Times. “We had a schedule all along,” he said, “and it was set to expire when it did.”
“We didn’t pull” commercials from All-American Muslim, a spokesman for Campbell Soup said. Other commercials “could run in subsequent episodes,” even though the company didn’t specifically request to be on the show, but – as is common – bought ad time on TLC in the 7-11pm time slot, he added.
“We certainly support diversity and inclusion,” the spokesman told the Times, “And we market to everybody here in the United States, including Dearborn, Michigan.”
A Sears spokesman also told the paper that his company’s ad spots on All-American Muslim were “part of a general media buy that was not specific to any particular programming” and that the company hasn’t pulled ads due to concerns about the show.
Lowe’s has been the focus of much debate about All-American Muslim and whether companies should advertise on it or not.
Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com
Twitter: @georgszalai
